NSW Government to Spend $50 Million Transforming Moore Park Golf Course

POSTED ON June 25, 2025 @ 3:19 pm

The NSW government has unveiled plans to invest $50 million in a contentious project that will see half of the Moore Park Golf Course in Sydney’s inner east redeveloped into public green space.

Premier Chris Minns and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey announced the funding as part of the Labor government’s third budget, delivered on Tuesday. The initiative includes replacing the back nine holes of the popular 18-hole golf course with a new public park, intended to serve the 690,000 residents living within 5km of Centennial Parklands.

While the full project is estimated to cost $50 million and is scheduled to run from 2025 to 2028, the 2024-25 budget allocates an initial $2.6 million toward planning and design. Just $3.5 million of the total project budget is expected to be spent during the 2025-26 financial year.

In combination with the state’s Asset Renewal Program—set to conclude in 2026—the government’s total Moore Park investment in 2025-26 will reach $6.79 million.

The redevelopment plan has sparked considerable debate. Critics argue that the move reduces valuable recreational space for golfers, while supporters see it as a much-needed expansion of green public areas in a densely populated part of the city.

Tensions over the use of public land have been heightened by other recent planning decisions, including the rejection of a $5 billion proposal to convert Rosehill racecourse into housing—another high-profile development initiative blocked by members of the Australian Turf Club.

The government has promised ongoing consultation with the golfing community and local residents as the design phase moves forward, emphasizing that the future layout of the 20-hectare site is still being shaped.

In addition to the Moore Park project, the government has earmarked $3.3 million for infrastructure and maintenance upgrades across the wider Centennial Parklands, including Callan Park and Moore Park South. Overall, the budget for the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust will rise by $6.5 million, reaching $14.2 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year.